Dodgers right-hander Tyler Glasnow landed on the 15-day injured listing two weeks in the past as a result of proper elbow tendinitis. On the time, the righty stated the ailment was “nothing tremendous regarding to me,” per Invoice Plunkett of the Orange County Register. Nevertheless it appears issues have gotten murkier since then. Final weekend, supervisor Dave Roberts informed reporters that Glasnow’s return could be a “sluggish course of” however that his season wasn’t in jeopardy. Thursday evening, when requested if Glasnow would return this yr, Roberts was noncommittal.
“We’re hopeful,” he stated, per Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Occasions on X. “I believe hopeful. I believe that there’s nonetheless a whole lot of variables, to make certain. However I believe everybody within the group is hopeful.”
The righty is planning to play catch right now and thru the weekend. Roberts was requested if Glasnow would nonetheless be ramped up if he continues to really feel discomfort.
“I’m unsure about that,” he stated, per Harris. “I do know proper now, while you’re beginning up, you’re most likely in search of pain-free. I believe that’s most likely the beginning. Nevertheless it’s a good query.”
It might look like a lower than splendid improvement, on condition that the prognosis appears to be getting much less optimistic. Glasnow’s well being has been within the highlight for many of his skilled profession. He handled elbow points throughout his time with the Rays, together with a Tommy John surgical procedure, and by no means topped 120 innings in a season with that membership. He’s as much as 134 innings with the Dodgers this yr, setting a brand new profession excessive, but it surely hasn’t been completely easy crusing. He missed two weeks across the All-Star break as a result of some decrease again tightness and now his elbow is once more the main target.
When on the mound, he’s been his ordinary self, giving up some residence runs but additionally racking up a number of strikeouts. He’s allowed 3.49 earned runs per 9 frames on the yr, hanging out 32.2% of batters confronted whereas limiting walks to a 6.7% clip. His 48.6% floor ball charge can also be robust however his 15 residence runs allowed have put some runs on the board.
All collectively, Glasnow is among the higher pitchers on the membership. Regardless of numerous harm points across the roster, the Dodgers are presently the most effective crew in baseball at 80-54. Nonetheless, followers of the membership will probably be worrying a few repeat of final yr, when the membership’s dominant common season was shortly undercut by a scarcity of rotation well being for the playoffs.
The Dodgers went 100-62 final yr and earned a bye via the Wild Card spherical however have been shortly swept by the Diamondbacks within the Division Sequence. By that point, Julio Urías was on the restricted listing as a result of home violence prices whereas every of Dustin Could, Tony Gonsolin and Walker Buehler have been all out as a result of important surgical procedures. Clayton Kershaw wasn’t on the IL however was clearly battling shoulder issues that ultimately required surgical procedure within the offseason. Lance Lynn had been preventing residence run issues all yr, which adopted him into the postseason.
This yr, Glasnow’s standing is up within the air. Could is out for the yr as a result of surgical procedure once more, this time as a result of a tear in his esophagus. River Ryan and Emmet Sheehan each required Tommy John surgical procedures.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto has been on the IL since June as a result of a rotator cuff pressure, although he appears to be nearing a return. He began a rehab project on Wednesday evening, tossing 31 pitches over two innings for Triple-A Oklahoma Metropolis. Assuming he doesn’t expertise any type of setback, he ought to make a couple of extra rehab outings as he builds up that pitch rely and may very well be again with the massive league membership earlier than the common season is out. Previous to hitting the IL, he had posted a 2.92 ERA in his first 14 main league begins.
Proper now, the rotation consists of Kershaw, Buehler, Jack Flaherty, Bobby Miller and Gavin Stone. Kershaw has a stable 3.72 ERA in his return from shoulder surgical procedure however with a 19% strikeout charge that’s beneath common and effectively shy of his earlier kind. The speed on all his pitches is a bit beneath the place he was final yr, previous to going underneath the knife. Flaherty is having a robust season however has well being questions of his personal, as he handled some again issues with the Tigers, which reportedly scuttled a deal to the Yankees earlier than he was traded to the Dodgers. Each Miller and Buehler have struggled considerably this yr.
It’s nonetheless potential that the Dodgers can be compiling a postseason rotation from a robust group together with Stone, Flaherty, Yamamoto, Glasnow and Kershaw, although Stone is the one one with no notable well being concern this yr. If issues go effectively with Yamamoto and Glasnow within the coming weeks, issues can be wanting fairly good, however it is going to be a state of affairs price monitoring within the coming weeks.
Circling again to Gonsolin, it’s potential he may return this yr, however he wouldn’t be totally stretched out. Roberts stated this week that the door is “just a little open” for the righty to return as a reliever, per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic on X.
He underwent Tommy John surgical procedure virtually precisely a yr in the past, on Sept. 1 of 2023, so now’s a pure time within the rehab course of to begin ramping up. He has been throwing reside bullpens and will begin a rehab project quickly. The righty had a 3.19 profession ERA, having began 71 of his 79 outings. Coming again as a reliever may very well be a boon to the pitching workers whereas additionally laying a small basis for his 2025 season. He could be managed by way of arbitration via 2026.
